The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 104

The enchanting reception that Ms. Schuler had planned was the perfect combination of classic elegance and unbridled fun; laying the foundation for Maddie's life with Harry. With a Big Band playing in the background, the first part of the evening held the time honored traditions. And, as the evening gave way to the night, the Big Band would give way to the DJ, bringing the younger royals to the dance floor en masse.

When Maddie and Harry stepped into the opulent room, they were greeted with a thunderous round of applause, and quite a few raucous hollers. As Harry stood proud and took it with ease, Maddie was absolutely certain she could hear Bishop's voice above all others. The love and celebration their friends and family held for them was undeniable. Maddie grinned and held tight to Harry's hand as they made their way to their table.

The newly titled Duke and the newly married Duchess sat amongst their loved ones and ate course after course of a spectacular meal. They made conversation with those around them, met eyes with those across the room. They cut the cake, a multi-layered, exquisite creation serving up both Red Velvet Cake and Chocolate Cake respectively and then they sat close to each other, Maddie's hand held between Harry's two as the toasts began.

Charles rose to his feet and, joined by Hannah, they offered heartfelt thanks to the guests for being with them that night and an abundance of congratulations to the new couple; their equally happy children. Both grew teary when speaking about the wonderful new additions to their respective families and the smiles that had found home on their children's faces. Maddie would be forever grateful for the way Charles took her mother under his wing and included her in this moment.

William, acting as the Best Man, perfected his speech, leaving the crowd touched and amused. He offered up a great amount of love for his new sister and a healthy dose of brotherly snark for Harry. And then he brought pause to the room when he brought up their mother.

"People often ask what our mother would have thought, how she would have felt about what was happening in our adult lives, the choices we've made. Tonight, I feel incredibly confident that my mother, were she here, would have been beside herself with happiness. She would have been impressed with the amount of wisdom Harry exhibited in choosing Madeline to be his wife and astonished at his absolute luck in the matter. She would have been pleased with Maddie's character, with her integrity and drive and amazed that such a woman would agree to something so senseless as a lifetime with one of us." The room rumbled with a slight laughter. "She would have been absolutely overjoyed that Harry had found love in this world, that he had found such an amazing partner with whom to share his life and she would have been elated, just as we are, to welcome Maddie into our family." And then, when the applause faded out, Harry rose to his feet, kissing Maddie's hand in his, and drew the attention of the room.

"It would be an incredible disservice if I were to stand before you now and not take a moment to acknowledge the people who brought Maddie and I into this world, who helped guide us through life." He turned his body slightly, smiling down to Charles and Hannah. "Hannah, today you handed your daughter over, to an entire country, to me—a man who is certainly not worthy enough to claim her but lucky enough that she chose to claim me." As usual, his self-deprecation brought about a few chuckles. "I cannot think of words that are powerful enough to express my debt of gratitude to you for bringing such a light into the world, for bestowing upon her such wisdom and character and heart; all of which she has gifted into my life." He paused to swallow, to breathe, to widen his adulation. "You, my father, Camilla; your love and support for the both of us during our courtship and subsequent engagement has been priceless and touches my heart in a way in which I will never be able to adequately convey. You have all been so welcoming; bringing me into your family, guiding Maddie into ours. It has truly been a blessing." Harry's eyes turned to Maddie, sharing a shaky smile that she instantly understood. She glanced down at her hands and prepared herself.

"I would be completely remiss as a husband, and as a man, if I didn't take a moment to honor the memory of Maddie's father." The room grew quiet, stoic. "Though I was not lucky enough to have met him myself, Jay Forrester was a wise, respected, wonderful man whose legacy lives on in his amazing daughter and now, in our life together." Harry looked down at his hands then, pausing to collect himself. "And of course, there's my mother. I think that my brother said it perfectly. She would have been elated that both of her sons had found happiness with two wonderful women. She would have been over the moon tonight...with a new daughter in the family and her first grandchild on the way. The first of many..." It was as though he couldn't help himself as he turned a wink to his wife; eliciting a few laughs and a smattering of applause from the crowd. "But first things first," Harry took a breath. "As we move forward I know that Madeline and I will keep all of our parents, those here and those passed, in our hearts and our minds and we hope that you will all do the same." He took a deep breath then, growing soft and a bit emotional as he turned to Maddie; the lump rising in his throat.

"And now...my love..." Her eyes lifted to his and she took his outstretched hand. "What a show we've put together, no?" They shared a soft chuckle before he opened his stance up, welcoming the rest of the crowd back to the moment. "The day I met Madeline was completely representative of who we were. Truly, we could not have been more ourselves than we were. We were in Bendal; she working for Doctors Without Borders and me...cutting ribbons." The room laughed as he gently ribbed the way the work he did matched up with the work she did. "I saw her from across the way and immediately sought her out. True to form, I had no plan, no idea what I was doing but I went directly to her; jumped right in." His friends rumbled around them. "And, true to form, Maddie quickly took over and began directing me, telling me what to do and where to go..." Maddie's cousins let out a smattering of applause as Harry grinned wide. Next to him, Maddie bit at her lower lip as she shook her head, amused. "And again, when our relationship began, I was all in. No plan, no thought, I boarded a plane and flew to Bendal. And again, Maddie took charge of the moment and kissed me. Me, blindly jumping. Her, bossing me around..."

"Ahem," Maddie could hear his cousins laughing from their table. Harry leaned to kiss her hand, meeting her eyes as he stood tall.

"It was quite easy..." He sighed, one hand clutching to his chest. "Falling for her—it happened with very little effort. But I had my work cut out for me if I had any shot at competing with Bendal for Maddie's heart. Thankfully for me, she had a moment of weakness and found something in me worth clinging to." Maddie shook her head at him, warning in her eyes. "When I asked Maddie to be my bride, I told her that I had spent much of my life making personal sacrifices; for the country, for my public role, for the greater good. And I had no reason to believe that, when choosing a partner, a wife, I wouldn't be faced with the same sacrifices. As we all know, I'm not exactly young," a light laughter rolled around him. "And I know there are people in this room who worried that my bachelor lifestyle would follow me well into my retirement. But I was waiting, preparing myself for that moment in which I would choose between the lesser of evils." He glanced down at his feet. "But that moment never came. I was never faced with a sacrifice. There was no settling, no lesser of evils, no compromise. Instead...there was Maddie." A collective aw passed around the room as Maddie's eyes filled with tears, his thumb rubbing soothingly at the back of her hand. "To say that my life has been irrevocably changed by this phenomenal woman is a vast understatement. I met her and I fell; hard and fast and so upended that there really was no hope, no other option than throwing in everything I had, jumping into the deep end and hoping, praying that she was...crazy enough to catch me." Harry turned to Maddie, a hint of tears in his eyes. "And you did. I am so eternally thankful that you stepped into my life, into my world. And today, when you made this lifelong commitment to me, to my crazy life..." He took a deep breath. "The happiness I feel today is indescribable. Thank you; for being here now, for promising to be there tomorrow. Thank you for coming to London, for showing up this morning..." The room rumbled with laughter as a few tears were dabbed. With is voice just for her, his emotion just for her, he spoke softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," Maddie smiled up at him, bring his hand to her lips before he called upon their guests.

"So, if you could join me in toasting the most amazing woman I've met; my bride, my wife..." He raised his glass and turned to her. "To Madeline."

"To Madeline," the room echoed. Glass clinked and smiles flowed throughout and with the same sort of disregard he held on that balcony, Harry bent his head to her and kissed her; soft and slow.

Of course, if anyone thought that the wedding of Maddie and Harry would stay in the world of tradition all night, they were terribly mistaken. As the toasts ended, the reception morphed into the party that the people who knew them were expecting; the people who had been there on the journey, those who had watched Harry struggle with the search and the sacrifice, those who had watched Maddie navigate the losses in her life, the hang ups—those who knew that nobody deserved this moment, or each other, more than these two.

The party was far from over.

They watched as the formalities gave way to celebration. They watched as Harry, hanging onto the last ritual of the evening, took Maddie's hand in his and led her to the dance floor. And then they watched with love, admiration and the slightest bit of jealousy as he took her in his arms holding her just so, as Maddie gazed up at him just so, and they watched as they took their first dance as husband and wife.

It was lovely. It was romantic and sweet and cheesy in a way that almost made the observers embarrassed—but didn't. It was clear to anyone in that room that the two of them adored the other; the way his hands clung to her not wanting to let her go, the way her body leaned to his. And, when the song finished, Harry grinned as he dipped her down with a dramatic flourish and a kiss. Setting her upright, he laid one more kiss on her hand before he surrendered her to his father and, walking tall and proud, sought out Hannah for her turn around the dance floor. And as the big band faded out its last tune, the DJ picked up and the romance and tradition gave way to the exuberant celebration.

And the party hit full swing. And though they were still surrounded by people, rushing to wish them love, to have their turn to hug the newlyweds, Harry and Maddie stayed connected as much as possible. If he wasn't by her side, if she wasn't in his arms, only minutes would pass before one or the other looked up, eyes searching. And when they found the other, it wasn't long before they were together again; his hand at the small of her back, her fingers running over his shoulder, fanning into his hair. Those moments that were as private as it would get at such an event; when they thought nobody was really watching, when he would feel free to kiss her longer, with more passion—when she would squeeze his ass and hint at more to come. Moments when they sat in contended silence, reveling in their newlywed status.

But there were other moments, not many but a few, when Maddie and Harry were pulled in opposite directions. A few moments when they would find themselves without the other.

The first people to pull Maddie into their arms, were her family from home. Her cousins, her uncle, her grandmother; the family that had come all the way from Colorado and was taking their first real chance to hug and congratulate her. Through the events leading up to the wedding, they truly had come to terms with seeing Prince Charles and to some extent The Queen. But even still, the fact that they were dining and dancing in Buckingham Palace still held onto some of its surreal glory. And Maddie couldn't fault them for that; it still held some of that for her too.

She danced with Kyle, she mooned over the dresses and the service with Jenna, and when her Uncle Patrick took her in his arms and pressed a teary kiss to her forehead, she hugged him tightly and thanked him for being there; for remembering her father while he was there. Most of them were staying past the wedding; choosing to enjoy a European Vacation, but this night was truly the last time they would see Maddie for a while and they wanted to love on her before it was all over.

No sooner had Maddie stepped away from her biological family, she was scooped up—literally—by her Bendal family. The beaming grin on Maddie's face when she spotted them was indescribable. Collins was laughing as he swung her into his arms; hugging her tight before putting her down.

"Your Royal Highness," he couldn't hide the gleam in his eye as he bowed over her hand.

"Oh good God," Maddie groaned with a smile on her face. "I wonder how long it's going to take to get used to that?"

"I don't know," Khenda shook her head and leaned to hug and kiss her friend. "But I'm guessing the vast majority of people around you have already made the adjustment in their minds."

"You're probably right," Maddie held onto a hand from each of them as she shook off that line of thought. Her smile grew sweet, mushy, as she looked from Collins to Khenda and back again. "Honestly, I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to see the two of you right now. Thank you both, so much, for coming."

"Please," Collins shrugged with a grin. "We wouldn't have missed this moment for the entire world."

"The entire world?" She arched her eyebrows jokingly.

"The entire world," Khenda reiterated Collins' declaration.

"Where's my favorite little man?"

"With family in Paris," Khenda smiled. "We wanted a weekend to ourselves."

"Well...Harry will be incredibly sad to hear that. But I suppose it'll do."

"Thanks."

"Listen...I owe the both of you a lot..." She grew misty-eyed for a moment. Collins opened his mouth to speak, but Maddie hurried ahead of him. "No no. I do. I...you both did so much for me, even before Harry. You helped me move through everything that was going on for me at home, with my dad and... You were my...you were my home for over a year." She laughed at the tears in her eyes. "You were my family. You are my family..." She wiped at her tears then, feeling silly. "And then you gave me Harry. Wow." She exhaled. "Who knew I would turn into such an emotional mess?!"

"Come on Doc," Collins winked and nodded towards the dance floor. "What do you say you let me spin you around the dance floor...emotional mess and all...for old time's sake?"

"Done," Maddie nodded; leaning to kiss Khenda's cheek again before allowing Collins to pull her to the middle of the action. As he spun her into his arms, his laughter, his ease, his confidence, his big brotherly way with her—all of it served to ground her back to this unforgettable moment. There were so many of those moments that night; poignant snapshots of time that made Maddie pause, take a breath and catalog them in her mind.

Dancing with her Father-in-law; his arms guiding her expertly around the room, his deep voice reiterating the sentiments of his speech.

Giggling with her slightly-intoxicated mother as she admitted London was growing on her, that she thought the Queen was incredibly sweet, and that she took Harry's joke of grandchildren as a promise.

Drinking with the Duke of Edinburgh. He was classic elegance on the outside with a dash of impropriety and imperviousness to the irritation of others and Maddie loved that about him. In truth, she could see so much of Phillip in Harry. And it made her thoughts about them as an old couple that much more enjoyable.

It really was fairy tale-like.

Despite the fact that she had married a Prince, despite the fact that they were dancing the night away in a Palace, she felt like Princess; light and free and deliriously happy. She spent time sitting next to a very pregnant Kate, quietly mocking their husbands and their respective dance moves. She sat with an incredibly drunk Eugenie as she thanked Maddie over and over again for 'making our Harry so happy.'

And of course there was the moment when Bishop took Maddie around the waist and, while impressing her with his surprising ability to dance with grace even in his tipsy state, he made an admission.

"Madeline, my love," he gazed down into her eyes with a wide, delirious grin. "You get more and more beautiful every time I see you."

"Bishop, my darling..." She giggled as she held onto him. "You get more and more drunk every time I see you."

"Hmmm..." He sighed, pulling her tighter to him. "Talk with me for a moment, won't you?"

"Whoa!" Maddie laughed as she followed his quick clip. "Easy Fred Astaire..."

"Sorry," he slowed down and met her eyes. "I desperately need your help."

"Oh honey, I'm not sure I have that kind of time tonight..." Her sarcasm flowed so naturally with him that when she was met with serious eyes and a straight face, she was stunned. "Bishop? What is it? Are you okay?"

"Yes." He spoke the word but shook his head. Turning his face from her then, he took a deep breath in and let it out; his hand running through his thick head of hair.

"Bishop..." Maddie's hand squeezed his shoulder, trying to draw him back to her.

"I'm in love with her..." His voice was low, confessional.

"Her..." She shook her head, confused for a fraction of a second. "You mean..." Maddie whispered, her eyes welling up involuntarily. She knew.

"I'm so in love with her," he repeated, shaking his head as though he were trying to shake it from his mind. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he met her eyes again. "Today my best friend married this amazing woman and they are starting their life together and this wedding and the party and..." His lips twitched into a smile and he blinked at his watery eyes. "And I'm so happy for him. I am. I just...I can't help but think of her. I can't help but want to...be near her. Jesus! I'm a bloody mess Madeline." He shrugged; hopeless. "I love her."

"Wow..." Maddie breathed, choking up at his words, at the strong emotions behind them. "Bishop, that's..."

"I just don't know what to do and..." He laughed at himself. "I honestly have no clue what to..." Maddie stopped dancing then, wiping at her eyes and pulling it together.

"Okay," she sniffed and took a breath before she grinned up at him. "Well first, you stop dancing with me..." She laughed at his shocked expression and leaned to kiss his cheek. "And you just...you go dance with her." It was simple, really.

"But she..."

"Don't." Maddie interrupted him, eyes sparkling. "Don't argue with me. Just...go to her. Right now. And give her that dance you promised her this morning."

"But..." Bishop trailed off, his eyes drifting to find Ella in the room. Maddie knew the instant he found her, his entire face lit up. He nodded; defeated, surrendering. "Okay."

"Okay." Maddie grinned.

"I love you, you know that?" He turned his eyes back to her, pulling her into his arms, pressing his lips to her cheek.

"I do know that." Maddie nodded; kissing him back. And then, with a bit of a smirk and more than a bit of fondness, Bishop took her hand in his and bowed to her.

"Your Royal Highness..." And then, with a wink and a newfound lightness in his step, he left her standing on the dance floor.

Maddie sighed deeply, peacefully, as her eyes scanned the crowd, seeking her husband. Finding him, dancing with abandon with Zara and Beatrice, her grin widened. As though he could sense her, feel her eyes on him, his eyes rose to meet hers. Without a second thought, he offered a smile, a nod, and an excuse.

And he was at her side.

"So I saw you watching me from across the room," he stepped right up to her, his fingers running down her arm towards her hand.

"Did you?" Maddie's lips pulled smug as she looked up at him.

"Mmm." He nodded, voice lowering as he stepped closer. "Did you like what you saw?"

"I loved what I saw," she chuckled as she stepped closer, enjoying this moment.

"Dance with me?" And though he meant it as a questions, his hands moved around her, pulling her to him, in more of a declaration.

"I have to tell you something," Maddie whispered, following him as he led.

"Go ahead." He watched her with adoration and amusement.

"Bishop is..." Her smile twitched as her hands moved up around his neck, as their bodies began to sway involuntarily to the music. Her voice dropped. "Bishop is in love with Ella."

"Yeah?" The corner of Harry's mouth tucked up in a smirk. "Baby we knew that already. Or at least I knew that. You didn't know that?"

"Well I knew that he did but..." She shrugged. "I don't know. I thought he had moved on."

"Moved on?!" Harry let out a loud laugh; his hands tugging her tighter to him. "What would have made you think that?"

"Oh I don't know..." Maddie rolled her eyes. "Brunette from the bar. Savy. Blonde from the club. And what was that woman's name who I couldn't stop giggling about..."

"Anita," Harry offered.

"Yes!" Her hand patted his shoulder. "Any one of those women made me think he had moved on."

"Well, you would be wrong."

"Apparently," Maddie sighed; happy, excited. "Bishop is in love with Ella." She looked up into Harry's eyes then. "He is...teary-eyed, can't speak correctly, in love with Ella."

"Mmm..." Harry nodded, moving in; resting his cheek against hers as he turned them both around. "I know somebody who is teary-eyed, can't speak correctly, in love with you." His voice was low in her ear.

"Oh?" Maddie grinned. "I wonder who that might be...Is he here tonight? Is that awkward for you?" She teased, loving the fire that sprang to his eyes when she did.

"Hmm..." He chuckled against her cheek as he placed a kiss there. "Come home with me?"

"Now?" Maddie pulled back slightly, looking at him stunned. "Really?"

"No," he shook his head. "We can't leave yet. But I like how serious you got there for a minute." And before she could say anything else on the matter, he pulled her back in, kissed her lips and spun them both around. And Maddie went, head tipping back in laughter. And there she was; lost in the moment yet again.

The day had been full of moments. Moments between just them, moments between them and anybody with high speed internet or an extended cable package. There had been moments that had made Maddie laugh out loud. There had been moments that had drawn her to complete silence. Moments when Harry felt like he owned the world, moments that had humbled him; bringing an ache to his chest.

And then there was the Big Moment.

The moment guests would talk about for months to come. The moment that would bring the royals to their feet and Maddie to tears. The moment that only two men in the room knew of and caught the others completely by surprise.

Maddie was sitting with Ella and Khenda when it began; when she heard it. They were drinking champagne and laughing over their very early days together in Bendal while Maddie prepared to ask not so subtle questions about Bishop and Ella's intentions.

And then she heard it.

Two drum beats; loud and strong. Two drum beats that sounded out into the room, settled in her ear, resonated in her heart, and pulled memories from her mind like an old, homespun tradition.

"Hold on..." Her eyes flew from the drink in her hand, locking with Khenda's. Was she hearing things? "Was that..." She trailed off as the third drum beat echoed through the room and she spun around in her chair, looking out into the room.

"I heard it too," Ella's hand wrapped around Maddie's forearm as her face registered the same confusion Maddie's was.

And then it happened; the familiar rhythm of the drums, that unmistakable beat that could only mean one thing. Maddie's breath held, her eyes widened as Bendal rushed into the room. The music poured into her ears, her heart, as traditional dancers rushed into the room; men, women, children all dressed in traditional Bendal garb, all smiling wide as they moved among the stunned and smiling guests.

"Oh my God..." Maddie whispered, her heart catching in her throat. She had lived in Bendal long enough, had gone to enough celebrations, enough weddings to know what was coming, she spun to Khenda. "Did you?"

"No," Khenda shook her head, tears in her own eyes at the way this moment pulled at her own heart. "It had to be..."

"Harry." Maddie finished her sentence as she rose to her feet; her eyes scanning the crowd for him. And when she did, when she found him standing next to Bea and Peter and Collins with a wide grin, his eyes full of pride and excitement as they clapped along to the music, it only took a second for him to meet her eyes. And when he winked at her, her hand fell over her heart. "I have to go," she spoke to her friends at the table before she turned to them. They, as the rest of the room, had risen to their feet, Khenda with tears in her eyes, as they joined in on the clapping. They knew what Maddie knew—that soon the drums would come to a dramatic stop, begin again with a flourish, and the dancing would really begin. "I'm sorry. I have to..."

"Go." Ella waved her hand as Maddie kissed her cheek.

"This is so beautiful..." Khenda wiped at her eyes as Maddie kissed her.

And without another word, Maddie was moving towards her husband. She passed Mike and Zara, she passed her Uncle Patrick, she even passed Bishop on his way to Ella, she assumed. She passed them all as they got into the moment, caught up in the celebration, and she went directly to him.

"There she is!" Harry's voice was loud against the music when he spotted her; his face bright and excited. "Did you see?"

"I saw!" She nodded her head, her eyes growing teary. "You...I can't believe you did this." It touched her heart in ways she would never be able to articulate.

"Yeah," he shrugged, looking slightly humble, slightly shy, as she stepped up to him. His hands moved around her waist. "It would be a shame if we didn't pay our respects to Bendal, don't you think? After all...it's where we met...where you finally kissed me..." They both chuckled at that. "And how did I thank that beautiful country for such a gift? I took the very best it had to offer and brought you here to rainy England." He glanced out at the crowd. "Also, they assured me that this was how they celebrate a wedding in..."

"Shh..." Maddie tilted her lips to his. "This is..." She shook her head, turning to watch. "This is...I'm speechless."

"Good." He had been struggling to keep this surprise a secret. Since he first thought of it, since he first called Collins to solicit his help in bringing Bendal to England, all he had wanted to do was tell her, to let her share in his excitement. And he had come close, more than once. But he had resisted and this, this look in her eyes, this way she clung to him, this way her feet were already tapping to the familiar music—this made it all worth it.

"You know they're going to make you dance. It's a traditional wedding celebration. The groom has to dance."

"Yes love, I know." He looked smug as he shrugged. "You think I'm afraid of a little dancing?" The drums drew one thunderous strum and all went silent.

"No?" She giggled, turning her face into his shoulder. Harry dancing always made her smile, made her blush.

"No," he shook his head. "And what makes it even better...They're going to make you dance too." Maddie's heart pattered in her chest as the dancers all stood at attention.

And then, to the delight of the crowd, the music flared up and the dancing began. Harry's hands dropped from Maddie as they both turned their attention to the entertainment that had their guests on their feet, clapping along with wide smiles—enjoying every moment of this surprise. And though their Bendal family certainly felt at home, at a whole new kind of peace, it wasn't just Khenda, Collins, and Ella who were reveling in this display. Maddie could see Camilla nudging Charles as they passed smiles back and forth. She could see her mother dancing next to Leo and Penelope to the beat of the music. She could see Bishop watching Ella with adoration as he clapped along.

It was a beautiful moment; bringing that world—the customs, the people, the music—into this world. That warm, lively, culture dancing among their families was a sight to behold. The tradition warmed her heart, the sentiment filled her soul and she wondered if Harry would ever really know, if he would ever really get it—how much this meant to her.

"Harry..." Her voice cracked as tears sprang to her eyes, despite the smile on her face.

"Love?" He called to her, his eyes focused forward.

"I..." She sighed and shook her head. "I love this. So much. And you...I love you so much."

"Good," he turned to her, wide eyes and smug grin and nodded to her right. She turned to look and she could feel a rush of nerves wash over her. "Come on my love," Harry's hand collected hers. "They are coming for us." And, though Maddie's initial reaction was anxiety, she felt nothing but joy in that moment.

The two dancers, one male and one female stood before them with beaming grins. The woman reached for Maddie's hand as the man took Harry's. Amidst wild applause and calls from their Bendal delegation of friends, the newly betrothed couple was pulled to the middle of the action.

"Do you know what they are going to do to us?" Maddie laughed as Harry took her hands in his and began to dance, his hips moving to the music as the pair who had brought them stepped away. He was so full of life, of joy.

"Tell me..." He beamed.

"Mmm." She nodded, moving closer as she danced with him. "They are going to wrap us."

"You don't say," he laughed.

"In cloth," she moved closer to him. "They'll have a long, beautiful cloth that they'll wrap us in while they dance around us."

"Kinky..." He winked and she laughed.

"It's tradition." She explained. "The cloth represents the love and support of the community, the hands of God, and..."

"And the protective embrace that they are symbolically wrapping the newlyweds in..." Harry finished, dipping to kiss her lips as the couple returned with said cloth. "Yeah. I know what they're going to do." He smiled to the two dancers as they stepped up to them.

True to tradition, the woman took Maddie's right hand and placed the corner of the cloth into her palm. Holding to it, Maddie smiled at Harry as the woman placed Maddie's right hand over Harry's heart. Harry's left hand moved instantly to cover it as she stepped closer to him, allowing very little space between them. And then, as the other dancers continued to entertain the guests, the couple attending to the newlyweds began to dance around them; the cloth unfolding as they wrapped it around Maddie and Harry.

"You know..." Harry began, his voice low.

"Shhh..." Maddie's left hand lifted to his lips. "You're not supposed to talk." He nodded and her fingers slipped away. Her eyes held his; intimate, personal—even with the room around them moving and dancing and clapping as they were wrapped in the beautiful purple and gold cloth. Harry blinked and, with a smirk, did what he wanted.

"I am never going to stop loving you." He spoke. Maddie's eyes welled with tears, even as she narrowed them.

"Harry..." She whispered.

"Never." He wasn't smirking any longer, he was locked in her gaze and absolutely serious.

"You're supposed to remain silent, introspective and..." She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes just a bit; giving in to him, to herself. "I'm never going to stop loving you either."

"I know." He did. There were no doubts in his mind.

"Now shush." She warned. "Before you get us into trouble."

Harry's lips pressed closed but his eyes held hers and they did what they were supposed to do in this moment. They held onto each other, being pressed closer and closer as a result of the wrapping. Their words ceased but their conversation continued. The fingers of his left hand stroked those of her right as it rested against his beating heart. Every deep breath she took, he felt against his chest. The music continued to build around them, the clapping and the cheering rising along with it and when the wrapping was finished the two dancers who had been their guides, stepped back into the circle of people that surrounded them, back into the revelry.

And Maddie wanted to cry. It was all so much; so much. This day—this perfect day—had been so loaded with emotion, with such big feelings. And it felt like it was all coming to a heated rush in this moment; this moment he had orchestrated to bring something so near and dear to her heart into their first day as husband and wife. Harry's eyes grew soft as he watched her, knowing she was fighting tears, knowing she was shuffling through the onslaught of emotions.

"Hey..." He whispered, unable to move enough to do anything to comfort her other than stroke her fingers. Maddie sniffed, offering a nod as she swallowed.

"Never." The strength in her voice told him exactly what she was talking about and it drew his own emotions to the surface.

"Never." He nodded again. And before either of them had a chance to dissolve into mush, the tempo of the music increased and all of the dancers began to move and both of them knew; this was almost the end. The elaborate unwrapping process began. The entire troupe of dancers was moving fast around them, in intricate steps, as they pulled the cloth from them; letting it pool on the floor. It was the strangest sensation, the relief of pressure, as the fabric moved. Maddie could feel the loosening, giving her the feeling of falling. And as soon as Harry could move, his right arm was around her waist, holding her tightly to him.

As the music reached its tipping point, the unwrapping was complete, the drums thundered once more and everything stopped. There was a split second when the world was absolutely silent, when Maddie swore she could hear Harry's heart beating in his chest. And then the crowd went wild; cheering, clapping, calling out their enormous approval. And Maddie, with the corner of the fabric still in her hand, lifted her arms around his neck and Harry brought his lips to hers; kissing his wife amidst it all.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The decision to call it a night was easy. Sometime after the Bendal dancers had finished up their third and final number to an ongoing ovation, sometime after the fireworks, sometime after the two of them had shared a drink and a drag with Hannah from the Whiskey and Cigar Bar that had been set up with her father's favorites, the decision was made. Harry had spotted Maddie sitting next to Kiki and Anna, her fingers covering her mouth as she yawned, and he called it. Meeting her eyes he nodded his head towards the door and Maddie, unsure if she could even manage to will her body to move from the chair, nodded in agreement. She was ready.

Deciding to call it a night was easy.

But saying good-bye to her family was significantly more difficult. She and Harry were leaving for their honeymoon late the next afternoon and, since her family would be leaving for the United States before they returned to London, this was their good-bye—for quite some time.

With Harry at her side the entire time, she hugged and kissed her cousins; thanking them for making the trip, for taking the time. With Harry's hand resting on the small of her back, she promised her grandmother and her uncle that they would come to visit before the Christmas holiday arrived. And then they said good-bye to her mother. Though there were tears, there were more smiles, more words of love and congratulations. Hannah was thrilled for her daughter, even if all of this now meant that she belonged to England in more ways than one. She hugged and kissed them both and then, with Maddie's uncle Patrick there for moral support, she watched as her daughter and her son-in-law walked away.

Though most of the older generation of Harry's family had departed, his father and Camilla remained. With a brief stop at their table, they received travel wishes and requests for dinner upon their return. Though Kate had slipped away earlier to get some much needed sleep, Will had remained and, along with the other remaining cousins, they offered a round of drunken applause when Maddie and Harry approached them all to bid them good night.

And then it was the last branch of their family; Khenda, Collins, Ella and—not so surprisingly—Bishop sat together laughing and reminiscing when Maddie and Harry joined them. Khenda grew teary as Harry hugged her tight, kissed her twice, and thanked her with a lump in his throat for changing his life. Collins grew more and more father-like as he wished Maddie luck, as he told her how proud he was, and as he warned that should Harry ever step out of line, he would be willing and able to set him straight; prince or not.

It wasn't lost on Maddie that Bishop had to drop Ella's hand in order to hug and kiss them. It wasn't lost on Harry that Ella blushed a bright pink when Harry raised his eyebrows at her suggestively. But nothing was said as they hugged them goodnight, thanking them for all they had done. Maddie would hold her questions for her return.

And then, surrounded by applause and a few catcalls from more than one table in the room, Maddie and Harry slipped, hand in hand, from their reception to retire to their suite at the palace for the night. As they walked through the halls, Maddie grew more and more tired—the revelry and party no longer there to boost her energy.

"Harry..." She yawned, her head leaning against him.

"Hmmm?" His arm wrapped around her shoulders as he turned to press a kiss to her head.

"My feet hurt," she sighed; her body finally registering all that she had demanded from it throughout the course of the day.

"Take off your shoes," he nodded towards the ground. "I'll carry them."

"But it's Buckingham Palace," she giggled; the champagne still very present in her system. "Can I really walk barefoot through Buckingham Palace?" Harry chuckled; his arm tightening, pressing her closer to him.

"Actually...in simplest terms, it's your Granny's house..." He corrected. "Can you walk barefoot through your granny's house?" Maddie giggled again; her brain processing that fact for the umpteenth time that night.

"You know..." She sighed. "I suppose that I can."

"I suppose that you can," Harry agreed, drawing to a stop and holding out his hand. "Shoes. Please."

"Yes Captain," Maddie stopped and, holding onto Harry with one hand, she leaned over and pulled her shoes from her feet. Standing tall, she held them out to him with a deep sigh. "Wow...that feels so much better."

"Good," he grinned as they continued their way through the halls. It wasn't long before they arrived. His fingers on her arm held her at a standstill. "Hold on."

"What is it?" She turned heavy eyelids to him. Seeing the cheeky grin on his face, she rolled her eyes. "This again?"

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled and then, with much less ceremony than when they were at Kensington, he leaned over and scooped her up and over his shoulder; her body bending over him as she squealed.

"How many thresholds can there possibly be?" She giggled, her hands slapping his ass as he opened the door.

"Don't know love," he patted her ass gently, careful as he stepped through the door into the room. "But you can be damn sure I'll carry you over every one of them."

"Why?" Maddie laughed as he bent over to set her on her feet. "Because you're the man?"

"Damn right," he grinned.

"Lucky for you, I'm too tired to get into it tonight..." She took her shoes from his hand and turned towards the room.

"Well," he called out behind him as he moved to shut and lock the door. "I hope that doesn't mean you're too tired to..." He turned towards her then and stopped. She was standing only a few steps away from him, looking out into the lavish room with wide eyes and a heavy silence.

And he remembered. This was her first time staying in Buckingham Palace.

The room was immaculate, even by Kensington Palace standards. As her eyes travelled around, taking it all in, she didn't even want to guess how many of her Bendal apartments could fit into this one room. And she hadn't even stepped into the bathroom yet. The ceilings were tall and meticulously carved. The décor was opulent and ornate. All of their things for the night had been unpacked and set to their rightful places.

"Hey..." Harry's voice was soft as he stepped next to her; his fingers trailing down her arm to claim her hand with his.

"Hey..." Maddie turned to look at him, her lungs sucking in her breath as she tried to settle in the moment, in the room. She blinked her eyes a few times as she focused on him; knowing full well that her new life held so many more moments just like this one, when the luxury of it all would stun her for just a moment.

"You okay?" He squeezed her hand in his and she nodded. Taking a long slow breath in and letting it out slowly before a smile worked its way to her lips, she squeezed his hand back.

"I am. Now..." She sighed and, before she could say anything, there was a light knock on the door. Her face grew puzzled as Harry kissed her fingertips.

"The valet is here for your dress, I would imagine," he shrugged as he moved to open the door.

He was right. Maddie laughed lightly as the woman stepped into the room. Thank God she had Harry with her as a guide in this crazy new phase of her life. He pressed a kiss to Maddie's cheek before he slipped into the bathroom to shower while she turned her dress over to the young woman for cleaning and storage.

As soon as Harry finished, Maddie stepped in; wanting to wash the sweat from her body before she crawled into bed. Harry slapped her ass playfully and ordered her to hurry back. And though she was tempted to follow his freshly showered body back into the bedroom, she stayed focused on the task at hand, knowing she would feel better if she washed the makeup from her face and the party from her skin.

When she emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and clean and dressed in a silky negligée, she was greeted with the lightly snoring, passed out, body of her new husband. Sighing into a grin, she moved to the bed and, looking down at him, she let out a light chuckle. He looked so peaceful; smile on his face, red hair mussed and spiked—his chest moving slowly up and down as he drifted further and further from wakefulness.

Maddie leaned to turn off the lights and, careful not to jostle him, she slipped into bed next to him. Sinking into the luxurious comfort of their bed, she let out a breath. It felt like heaven; a long awaited and well-earned reprieve from their long day. Her body welcomed the break, the support. And, as she moved closer to him, her eyelids grew heavy. The day had caught up with the both of them and they were exhausted. Next to her, Harry rustled; taking in a deep breath and shifting a bit.

"Madeline?" He called out softly.

"Mmm..." She smiled next to him, her hand reaching out to rest on his chest.

"Come here love," he pulled greedily at her hand, wanting her close to him. Maddie moved, nestling into the space below his arm, tucking into his warmth. "There..." He sighed, his lips pressing kisses to her head, his fingers smoothing back her hair. "You can't sleep that far away from me tonight baby."

"No?" She giggled slightly. "You seemed quite content snoring away all by yourself over there..."

"Hmm..." He grinned, his eyes closing involuntarily. "You want me to wake up?" He peeled his eyelids open only briefly. "I can. I can wake up...make love to my new wife..."

"You sure about that?" Maddie laughed, her hand running over his bare chest as she pressed a kiss there; her leg moving over his as she cuddled close, their legs intertwining

"No," he shook his head; laughing at himself. "I'm sorry my darling..."

"Don't be," Maddie laughed, her own eyes closing as his breathing lulled her closer and closer to sleep.

"You know if people ever found out that I couldn't even..."

"But we did," she cut him off, her fingers to his lips. "This afternoon, we already did."

"Mmm..." He nodded, his fingers stroking up and down her arm. "But..."

"I'm sleepy," she yawned into his side, snuggling even closer to him. "And it's been a long day."

"Yes well..." He kissed her fingertips. "Tomorrow. Tomorrow you're in for it." His eyebrows lifted as his lips pulled into a smug grin.

"Oh...don't I know it," Maddie smiled as she lightly tickled his side.

"Sorry, was that sarcasm?" Harry's hands were strong as they hugged her tighter.

"If it was, do you have the energy to retaliate?" She giggled, her eyes closing heavy.

"Stop using big words..." He breathed.

"Henry..."

"Hmm?"

"Stop talking..." Her fingers lingered lightly over his lips; settling there as though she had no more energy left to move them. His lips pursed up as though to kiss them but not having the full amount of steam left to do it properly.

And there, in that immaculate suite in Buckingham Palace, after the longest, sweetest, most emotion filled day either of them had come across in years, The Duke and The Duchess of Sussex—quite fittingly—fell asleep. Wrapped up in each other with their entire lives ahead of them.